


What Has Our Reunion Become?

by annalikesgrapefruit



Category: No. 6 - All Media Types
Genre: Depression, Fluff, M/M, Panic Attacks, Reunion, Reunion Fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-29
Updated: 2015-02-18
Packaged: 2018-02-15 08:10:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2221797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annalikesgrapefruit/pseuds/annalikesgrapefruit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Six years have passed since the fall of No.6. Since then, Shion had rebuilt the town from scratch and raised it into a new era of peace. But there is still one thing bothering him, as Shion and Nezumi reunite for the first time in years, trouble brews in the underworld of the city, and they are faced with a new enemy.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Holy City

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a work of fiction, and the original story and characters (excluding a few who I created for the story's benefit) belong solely to Atsuko Asano. I have merely written a Fanfic more mine and other's enjoyment.

 

_Shion’s chest felt tight. Nezumi’s words chimed like church bells through his head._

_“Reunion will come, Shion.” His tone was confident yet gentle._

_Nezumi never once looked back, and the pale-haired boy watched him, every step he took until he disappeared over the horizon. His silhouette no longer recognizable as he was a mere smidge of black sinking into the far ground._

I will see you again, Nezumi, as long as you keep your promise. _Shion declared as the black dot disappeared completely into the horizon._ Then I will show you how much you mean to me.

_Shion promised himself to stay strong. Even though he felt a hole in his heart already appear just a few minutes ago as Nezumi took his last glance into Shion’s crimson red eyes, he would keep fighting, he would wait for him, until they got their reunion._

I will wait for you, Nezumi. _He smiled._

 

**_________________________________________**

 

 

A hard, wooden desk and an aching jaw was what awoke the now older boy from his so-called ‘nap’. Shion had pulled yet another all-nighter, attempting to finish the endless piles of documents and files he had to sign. Shion sighed and grabbed his mug, getting himself some well-deserved coffee from the machine Inukashi had installed for him since he spent the majority of his time now working, she figured he could use something to keep his energy up.

You could say that Shion was the new ‘Mayor’ of No.6, but he didn’t like to be called that. He preferred to be known as a helper to the people in need and one who is striving for equality. Inukashi just said that he was simply the one who ‘gets shit done around here’.

Whatever name you called him, it didn’t change the fact that he had a lot of work to do nearly all the time. Lately, he was pulling all-nighters almost three times a week, and he barely got any free time anymore. But to be honest, there was no one else who could do it.

Five years ago, the central council of No.6 had fallen, and the walls between West Block and the city collapsed, leaving the area in utter chaos. Shion took over the seat of the Mayor and rebuilt the city from scratch.

Shion brought attention to West Block first, as he said that the people there were still part of No.6, and deserved a stable home, job and enough food for everyone. After the previous council ordered West Block to be demolished, it gave them a chance to rebuild the place, and connect it to the main part of the city. Now, West Block stands tall, with main roads running through it and tall buildings with offices, providing jobs for the people who wish to live there. But of course, they were equally welcome to live in the main part of the city.

While projects were taking place in West Block, Shion set up plans to repair the city’s centre and rebuild Cronus and Lost Town so that there was nothing dividing the two areas class-wise. Nowadays, Lost Town was merely another part of No.6 where people lived peacefully.

It was still hard to make the higher-class people of the city to accept the people from West Block and Lost Town and live alongside them as equals, but after a few years, everyone seemed to get along fine.

Shion placed his empty mug under the coffee tap and pressed the ‘Expresso’ button. The machine hissed at him and bitter smelling steam rose from the liquid pouring into his mug. He received his morning beverage happily and strolled over to the window of his office, looking out over the Holy City.

Nowadays, you really could call it that without hiding truth in your words. What Shion had built was a place for everyone. Everything seemed to have resolved, it was all done now.

Except, there was still one thing that hadn’t been fulfilled.

_Reunion will come, Shion._

Those words no longer chimed like church bells, they were like a static, a white noise. His words rang in his ears and almost never seemed to ease off. His work sure distracted him a lot, but in his dreams he saw orbs of piercing grey, the same words over and over.

“But when will reunion come, Nezumi?” Shion mumbled, quietly.

He hadn’t realised what he said until his hand felt burning on the side of his coffee mug.

Pulling his hand back in reflex, he blew on the surface on the deep brown liquid, creating ripples that extended to the inside of his cup.

 

Once he had finished his beverage, he decided his head could do with some fresh air. There was no time to think about Nezumi anymore. If he would come, he would come when he decided to, he just had to wait, like he promised.

Shion grabbed his coat and took the steps down from his office, checking out with the receptionist before leaving. Once he was out of the doors, he breathed the cool, summer air through his nostrils and immediately felt better.

Walking through the streets of the new city, Shion felt at peace, knowing that what he has built has brought happiness to so many individuals. He smiled as citizens greeted him, one girl offering him a flower, which he gratefully accepted, ruffling her hair gently.

He arrived at the door of his mother’s bakery, despite all the reconstruction in the area, the bakery looked almost exactly the same, even after they had an extension built to fit more customers in.

Dozens of baked goods were on display, ranging from bread rolls, to fruit tarts, to muffins. You name it, Karan baked it.

The air smelled of fresh bread and Shion could hear clattering of pans in the kitchen. He popped his head round the door to see his mother placing some pastries onto a cooling rack. When she noticed him by the doorway, her face lit up and she rushed over to him, bringing him into a warm hug powdered with flour and sticky dough.

“I’m so glad you’ve taken a break from all your work” Karan brushed her hands off on her apron. “How are you feeling?”

“The fresh air has helped my head a bit, I’m still quite tired though..”

“By all means come stay in your old room, get away from your work environment yeah?” Karan smiled kindly.

“Yeah. Sounds good” Shion grinned back. He could use some time away from all that blasted paperwork.

Shion had been so preoccupied lately he hadn’t found time for any of his family or friends. He hadn’t even thought of Nezumi once either. Shion thought that was the only good side to his work.

Six years had passed since Shion watched Nezumi leave, and even though at the time, he had been determined to wait however long it took to see Nezumi’s face again, now that promise had seemed to fade. It was as if the time he spent with Nezumi was merely a dream, a time that had passed by now. But those few strings that attached Shion to the other seemed to keep holding on, barely.

Often Shion would long to look into those piercing grey eyes, just once more, but the more he longed to see him the more he would feel so alone. Shion had almost blocked Nezumi out completely, but part of him just couldn’t let go. Maybe it was the promise they made? The promise of reunion. But the world is filled with empty words, threats and promises. Shion had grasped that by now.

“You hungry?” Karan was placing a new batch of muffins out on the rack, fresh from the oven.

Shion smelt the sweet, sticky treats, and realised he was indeed, very hungry.

“Yeah actually…” He put a hand to his stomach and patted it lightly.

“Great!” Karan looked pleased. “Because I’ve been trying some new recipes and I want you to taste them” She scurried back into the kitchen and came out a few minutes later with a whole tray full of canapés of different treats, both sweet and savoury. The tray was an array of colour pleasing to all the senses. Shion’s mouth watered vigorously.

“So here we have some new sausage rolls, those are my new saffron buns which seemed to go well before, but I tried adding more saffron and a bit of orange zest to make it more exotic you know? And these are my jam tarts, these have apricot and I made some plum jam so I thought about putting that in there. Although I really wanted you to try my scones, you see-“ Karan stopped a moment to see Shion staring at a sticky red dessert in the middle of the tray. “Shion?”

“You made cherry cake?” Shion’s voice was hoarse. But he was smiling.

“Yes, it’s your favourite, remember?”

Shion did remember. Karan’s cherry cake was simply the best. She always used to make it for him. He remembered the night Nezumi came into his room, injured. He had taken some up to him and they ate together. Then after they were both full enough, Nezumi laid down beside Shion and they both slept peacefully. He recalled how content Nezumi had looked, asleep, next to him. How young they were then, he wished he could re-live those moments.

“Shion? Honey are you okay?” Karan’s face creased into one of worry.

“Y-yeah.. Sorry, I’m fine.” Shion realised that he had been crying a little.

“Were you… Were you thinking about .. him? N-Nezumi?” Karan tried not to trigger Shion and was careful with her tone.

Shion couldn’t hold it back and lowered his head trying to hide his tears from his mother. It didn’t last long as his shoulders started to shake and soft sounds of his sobs escaped his lips.

“Shion..” Karan sat down beside him and pulled him into her arms, still shaking.

“I- I’m sorry… I d-didn’t mean..” He couldn’t say much, he couldn’t hold it back.

“You know,” Karan was stroking his hair comfortingly. “You don’t have to stay strong all the time, you can cry once in a while. You don’t have to hold it in and keep a brave face. Everybody cries.”

Shion gripped onto Karan’s apron and wet it with the streams falling down his cheeks.

Everything had come down on him at that moment. He didn’t think it mattered to him anymore, but it mattered to him more than anything.

_Please.. Please come back, Nezumi._

**END OF CHAPTER 1**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed the first part of this story.
> 
> Please feel free to Kudos, Comment, Bookmark etc
> 
> I will update in a couple of days, see you then!
> 
> \- Anna


	2. Long Journeys

 

Nezumi had been walking for weeks. Maybe even months, still not getting anywhere. He had visited many of the great cities, such as No.5, the city well known for its universities and well-educated people. He had joined the theatre there and performed in a couple of plays, but he got bored of it soon enough.

He then walked for another three months to No.2, where he stayed for a couple of years. There he could do things to his liking.

The city of No.2 was one of the largest before the rebuild of No.6, it was vast, with buildings stretching to the sky, and parks stretching miles. Each area had its own character. Even though the whole city was based around the arts, there were offices, cafes, gyms, schools, everything. Nezumi settled down in an area by the main theatre. He had auditioned for the play ‘Hamlet’ and had been accepted to play Hamlet himself, even though he may have been more experienced with female roles.

He thought Shion might laugh at that.

Nezumi snapped out of his thoughts and kept walking. He wouldn’t think of Shion right now. He barely knew what to do with his life let alone what to do about a promise he made five years ago.

His feet ached. The ground was getting colder. _I must be heading north, then_..

No.6 wasn’t far from where he was, a hundred miles at the most. _If I were to head North-East, then_.. Nezumi mentally slapped himself. He couldn’t go to No.6, he couldn’t face Shion. Not right now, at least.

**\---------------------------------**

Weeks, even months had passed and he was facing the cold blizzards of the North. He only had his superfiber cloak for any sort of warmth, even then, he was freezing.

He passed many ruins of cities and warzones. The large structures loomed over him as if the souls long dead were haunting him.

Eventually, he had walked so far north he reached the coast. The waves lapped and buried each other in blankets of deep blue. The salt sprayed against Nezumi’s face as the waves tried to reach up and consume him.

_If I go to No.6, if I return. What will happen then? When I see Shion, what will I do then?_

His heart felt heavy with guilt.

_Shion.. How long have you waited for me?_

He had no choice. He turned his back to the vast ocean and began to retrace his steps.

He had walked and walked. His feet were numb and his face stung. His fingers had frosted and he couldn’t see a thing. But his legs kept moving.

Minutes turned into hours, and hours turned into days, to weeks and still the cold didn’t cease.

Nezumi found a cove where he stumbled in and curled up against the cold stone. His eyes felt heavy, and soon he drifted off into a deep sleep.

\---

_“I know first aid! I can help you.. Do you understand?”_

_“You’re really weird you know that?”_

_Voices echoed as he felt himself falling._

_“Nezumi!” a familiar face appeared before him, clutching his arm. “Without you, my life is meaningless!”_

_Suddenly he was kissing this person. His stomach fluttered and he felt like he was flying. It was as if it was just the two of them, and nothing else mattered. This person and him. Who was he, this strange, albino boy?_

_“Reunion will come, Shion.” His own words rang in his ears. They were heavy, like a burden._

_Shion.._

_Suddenly Shion’s face started to fade and Nezumi felt a warm wetness on his cheeks._

_SHION!_

_\---_

Nezumi jolted awake, breathing heavily. He rubbed at his eyes, feeling damp and cold. He had been crying in his sleep.

He rubbed away the remaining tears and got up and looked outside the cave where he had been staying.

The winter air still stung at his cheeks, but the harsh blizzard had ceased.

Nezumi knew where to go, south-west.

To No.6.

 

Nezumi looked up to see the sun appearing out of the clouds. The warm rays soothed his burning cheeks.

_Its not too far now._

Nezumi walked over the deserted land until he reached a forest. It was familiar, somehow.

He made his way past the tall, aging trees and ahead of him. There he saw it.

Piles of ash lay before a huge burned down tree.

The scars on his back began to tingle. His feet moved him past the ashes towards the charred structure.

_He remembered now. This was his home, until No.6 came and burned it down, and killed his family. He was the only survivor and they locked him in a correctional facility, giving him a name suited to scum like him._

But he made that name his own, so the words couldn’t hurt him anymore.

_Somehow, with any kind of luck, he escaped. He ran and ran, not ever looking back. The gravel on the roads pierced his feet, but he had to keep running. He could hear the guards come after him, but his feet never stopped. He finally found shelter in a grand-looking garden._

_That was where he saw him, screaming out into the vast storm._

_That night, Shion had saved his life._

He remembered the days as a child, with his family, his tribe. They would gather round the fire and sing songs to their God who protected them.

But Nezumi had no faith in Gods or Spirits anymore.

He passed his old home and came out of the forest. The land was getting lighter as morning dawned upon him.

Nezumi saw a glow upon the horizon. Lights from a city. As his footsteps brought him closer, he saw a landscape appear before him as the sun crept out from the horizon.

He saw West Block come into view and was startled at the sight before him. Large modern buildings arose to the sky and cars drove in and out of the area, with people going to work in the mornings. Lights began to flicker on in the buildings as the sun had not lit the sky when the citizens had to leave for their day at work.

West Block edged ever closer and he approached one of the skyscrapers on the outskirts of the town. He found a rusty ladder and began to climb, more of the city became visible to him as he arose and he could feel the sun shine its amber rays over the Holy City as morning dawned. He clambered up to the top of the building where he could see the entire city. It was not like it was before. The entire place had been rebuilt. He could no longer make out Lost Town from Chronos, and the places were no longer secluded from each other. And toward the centre of the town, he could just about make out a statue that looked like Shion.

Nezumi let out a chuckle, which turned into full on laughter. He could feel tears of joy sting his eyes as he stares at the new city.

Everything looked so calm. This city was finally at peace. Thanks to one boy. One man.

Shion would be about 22 now.. Nezumi hadn’t realised how much he would have changed. He would no longer be that kid who named his rats Hamlet and Cravat, and he may even have some experience with sex. Nezumi hoped that wasn’t true, for whatever reason.

His stomach churned. Part of him wanted to turn back now. But he couldn’t. He had to see him. To thank him.

Nezumi couldn’t shake of this feeling he had as he was walking through the new streets of West Block.

Was this fear? Was he scared of what will happen when they are reunited?

Nezumi brought his hand to his lips. That goodnight kiss many years ago still lingered with him, and after he had kissed him again before he left. He didn’t know how he felt for Shion at all. But he was drawn to him so. That is what feared Nezumi. What will he say when he sees those crimson red eyes gleaming back at him?

Walking through the gleaming streets of his old home, he came to a hotel at the end of the street. It looked somewhat familiar. He pushed the door open to see the reception desk empty, the whole place seemed rather empty, apart from a couple of dogs running around.

He knew exactly where he was.

“You’re dogs still stink the place out, even with the new refurbishments” Nezumi called out smugly.

“Doesn’t overpower the stench of a rat though does it?” Inukashi’s voice called from behind him.

Nezumi laughed and turned around to face her.

She still looked the same, the same long brown messy hair. She had grown a little taller and her features had matured somewhat.

“It’s certainly been a while.” She started.

“Yeah… it has.” Nezumi smiled slightly.

“Mama!” A child came running towards her, arms outstretched.

“Hey Shionn!” She picked him up in her arms.

Nezumi shot her a queer look.

“Blame Shion, he’s the one who dumped the kid with me. Also I figured the name suited him, Shion wasn’t so happy about it though..”

Nezumi laughed a little at that, he remembered finding the baby when West Block was being demolished. Shion refused to leave him.

“H- How is he..?” Nezumi asked quietly.

“Who Shion?” She laughed “The last time I saw him he seemed okay, but he didn’t seem his usual self. I guess six years waiting does make you feel a bit shit about yourself.”

Nezumi’s chest filled with guilt.

“What were you doing? All these years?” Inukashi questioned.

“Travelling.” His reply was blunt.

“Travelling?” She echoed “Travelling where?”

“Travelling around.” He gritted through his teeth.

There was a long pause. Inukashi stared at him for a while, scanning him.

“If you’re here to see him, see him. Don’t dawdle around until you miraculously bump into him in the street.” Inukashi sighed. “I have work to do. I’ll see you around, Nezumi.”

Nezumi exited the hotel and started to walk towards the main city.

Buildings even bigger than the ones in West Block towered the sky, while in between there were shopping centres, cafes, bakeries, banks and supermarkets littered in between them.

As he approached the city centre, the number of people shops and cafes tripled. People hurrying around in the morning late for work, some were doing their early morning shop for the day. People were catching the bus to school and some were just simply taking in the city view, obviously tourists, like Nezumi. Since there were so many tourists he figured Shion eased the security on the borders, seeing as how Nezumi got in fine.

After wandering for a couple of hours, he came up to the statue he saw earlier. It was Shion, as he predicted. But he looked different to how he remembered. He certainly looked older, and manlier. His face had matured and his hair wasn’t messy. He noticed that they carefully carved the scar on his cheek and his neck. He was holding a book in his hand and had what looked like a rat on his shoulder.

He wondered if they got him to pose like that for hours and chuckled to himself.

He stared at the statue for a while, wondering if Shion really looked like that or they exaggerated his features to make him more leader-like.

“And here, we see the great statue of our leader Shion” A tour guide was leading a group of tourists to the statue. “Some of you may know the story of how the previous government was brought down by Shion and his unknown companion, six years ago. After the two of them collapsed the city walls, we were left in utter chaos. But Shion took over and rebuilt the city from scratch, and now, we find true equality within our Holy City. However to this day, no one knows the whereabouts of his companion, and some say it brings sadness to our great leader.”

Nezumi turned and walked away, feeling shame for the first time in years. Behind the statue was a large building, full of offices. At the top, he could see a larger room which had a panoramic view of the city.

_Shion_

**END OF CHAPTER TWO**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading,
> 
> If you have any questions or whatever, you can ask me on my tumblr: kazekag-ay.tumblr.com 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I will update as soon as I can.
> 
> \- Anna
> 
> UPDATE: fixed some of the errors and mistakes, sorry for my carelessness, i write this shit at like 3am! Please please point them out to me if you spot any, it really helps me to make the story better. (even when I proofread it I'm blind ._.)


	3. Another Year Older

“Hey honey, I was just calling to say you left some documents at the bakery the other day, do you want to come round later to collect them? You could stay for lunch maybe?” His mother’s persuading voice came through the speaker.

“Did I? Damn, thanks Mum, I’ll stop by and pick them up in a bit, I have a bit of work to finish first.” Shion sighed. “All this work has been making me forget things. And since you offered I may as well stay for a bit” He added cheerily.

“Great! I’ll see you later then, text me when you’re nearly here so I can put the oven on!” She sang, somewhat unusually happy today. Shion thought he heard voices in the background and became slightly suspicious, but simply brushed it off as some customers.

“See you later then.” Shion hung up the call and sat down at his desk, starting the last of the paperwork left in the pile.

He couldn’t shake off the feeling that he had forgotten something important. But lately, he had been getting these feelings nearly every day. He really needed a long break.

 

Two hours passed, but it felt longer than that. Shion read over and signed the very last paper and placed it neatly on the ‘Completed’ pile. With a sigh of relief, Shion leant back in his swivel chair and let out a huge yawn. He checked the time on his phone which read: 12:14.

Placing it back in his pocket, he got up and grabbed his coat and briefcase, before heading out the door and into the lift.

Heading out the front doors of the building, he shielded his face from the sun. It was a hot day, and there were few clouds in the sky. As he proceeded through a seemingly empty street, he saw his chance to un-tuck his shirt from his trousers and undo a couple of buttons on his shirt. Cool air rushed underneath his shirt, up his torso and he ran a hand through his hair, adjusting his fringe so it wasn’t in his eyes and sticking to his forehead.

He greeted a few familiar faces on the way to his old house, colleagues, friends or just people he knew from the city.

However one moment, just a second, he could have sworn he saw a flash of navy blue and a glint of piercing grey from somewhere in the crowd. His heart sped up and he suddenly felt panic rise up in his chest and his breathing falter.

He picked up his pace and sped through the crowd until he was in an empty alleyway. There he was able to calm himself.

“It was nothing Shion. It wasn’t what you thought. Just your head playing tricks on you. It wasn’t real.” His breathing slowed. “It wasn’t real.”

He often had episodes like this, where he had to find an empty space and calm himself, but this one was more intense than the others.

Once he was sure he could go on, he turned back into the busy street and made his way to the bakery.

Relief washed him clean of his worries when he turned into the street and saw the swinging sign which read ‘Karan’s Bakery’. He crossed the road and approached the café. It was empty. Shion saw this as odd seeing as at this time, there would be floods of customers coming and picking up their lunch before shooting back off to work again. He opened the door and the bell jingled. But there was silence. He heard no clanging coming from the kitchen, yet the smell of baked goods still lingered in the air.

“Mum?” He called, but there was no reply. Slight panic boiled in Shion’s chest again and he braced himself for the worst as he walked to the kitchen.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHION” Was the chant of several people crammed into the small kitchen. Party poppers flew at him and the paper got caught in his already messy hair.

Everyone was laughing and cheering while Shion merely stood there utterly baffled.

Shion looked around the room, all his friends were there; Inukashi, Little Shionn, Lily (who had grown up so much by now), Rikiga and even his PA, Sarah, was there. Deep down, he had hoped to see a pair of grey eyes smiling at him, but he knew that wasn’t going to happen.

“I..” Shion started. “Forgot it was my birthday.” Shion laughed along with everyone else.

“You’ve been working too much.” Karan pushed a trolley through the crowd with a delicious-looking cake placed on the top of it.

The cake was huge, covered in sticky white icing, with letters that read _HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHION_ very neatly in pink loopy writing. Karan had a very steady hand with icing, and always made the very best cakes.

“You did all this for me?” Shion felt tears sting his eyes as Karan lit a candle that had blown out itself amongst the other twenty two of them,

“Of course I did. Because it’s your birthday.” Karan hugged her son and pinched his cheeks. “Because my little baby is all grown up now!”

“Mum.. can you not do that in front of everyone?” Shion muttered flinching away from his mother’s grasp.

Everyone proceeded to laugh at Shion’s discomfort.

“Come on lets go in the café where we have more room” Karan lead everyone into the café area where Shion noticed the tables were full of different baked goods.

His mouth watered as he took in the sight before him. There were cakes, biscuits, buns, pies, sausage rolls, sandwiches, tarts and his favourite cherry cakes in the middle.

“Right. Shion, you sit there and we will all give you our presents, okay?” Karan took his briefcase, chucked it onto a random table, and guided him to a chair in the middle of the room with a balloon that had the number ‘22’, attached to it.

“You really didn’t have to-“ He was cut off by his mother’s hand.

“It’s your birthday, you are my son, of course I had to, and we all did.”

“Yeah you doofus,” Inukashi started “Shut up and accept the crap we give you.”

She smacked him on the head lightly before ruffling his hair.

“Okay.” Shion couldn’t hide his grin any longer.

“I’ll go first!” His mother chimed.

She handed him a package, wrapped neatly with a red ribbon tied around it with a tag that said _Shion_ written neatly in Karan’s beautiful handwriting.

The package was soft, with a hard bit at the bottom. He carefully opened the packaging, trying not to rip too much up and make mess. But the tape was quite tricky and it took some time.

“Just rip it open, you idiot.” Inukashi laughed.

Shion gave in and ripped the package open to reveal a long, black duffel coat similar to his own, but this one was much more stylish. It had buttons and zips, but apparently they were just for decoration, and you could turn the collar up to make yourself look all ‘Sherlock Holmes’.

“Thank you! I love it” Shion smiled.

“You’re old one was wearing out, after having it for years..”

“Yeah you’re right” Shion laughed.

“There’s another thing for you” His mother pointed to the smaller, rectangular present that had dropped to the floor.” He picked it up carefully and tore the paper off to reveal a book with the word “Hamlet” on the front in gold letters.

“I know you like literature and you always used to read-“ She paused for a moment. “Nezumi’s old books… So I thought I could give you a copy that you could keep in your apartment, so you don’t have to go all the way to West Block to read them.” She smiled with a bit of unease.

Shion stared at the book and a lump formed in his throat.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to-“

“Mum, its fine” Shon smiled. “Thank you so much!”

She gave out a sigh of relief.

“Okay! Me next!” Inukashi walked over with Little Shion holding a present, and a larger one in her hand.

“Shionn you go first” She put him down in front of Shion, who smiled kindly. Shionn held up a badly wrapped package which was an odd shape.

“Thank you Shionn” He took the present from the smaller hand and attempted to get through the many layers of paper and tape. When he finally revealed the object he laughed.

“Mama said that you needed it.”

Shion looked down at the hairbrush in his hands and then up to Inukashi, who was smiling smugly.

After brushing his hair with his new present, Inukashi held another reasonably wrapped present in front of him.

It was quite large and heavy. He peeled back the paper and smiled.

“My very own dog encyclopaedia.” Shion laughed. “How very educational. Thanks Inukashi.”

“You gotta know these things, Shion” She grinned and guided Shionn back to where they were sitting.

Lily came up next.

“Uh, here you go.” Lily blushed a little when she offered the package in front of him. Shion felt a little bad ruining how neatly Lily had wrapped the present but he was soon more pleased at what was underneath.

“Your Mum told me you liked books, so I got you a couple…” Shion observed the two books in his hands. Both were classics.

“I’ve heard of these two, they’re classics.” Shion grinned. “You have good taste, thank you Lily” He ruffled her hair before she walked off again.

He received more presents from the others. He got some Vodka from Rikiga, which he accepted jokingly, even though he was old enough to drink it, he would probably just put it on display in his apartment, and from Sarah, he got a bunch of new office supplies such as staplers and fountain pens which he accepted gratefully, as his office was wearing down a bit.

“Thank you so much everyone” Shion’s cheeks aches from smiling so much.

“Okay everyone, lets clear up this mess and we can finally eat because I’m sure you’re all starving.” Karan got up and started picking up the scraps of paper strewn across the floor.

She then went into the kitchen and brought out some plates and cutlery for them.

“Help yourselves.” She grabbed her own plate and everyone else followed.

After Shion had collected a bit of everything, he sat down and began to talk to various people about all sorts of things. His secretary had to leave after a couple of hours, saying she had to finish at work. She wished her boss a happy birthday and left, thanking Karan for the food.

 

Later, Shion saw Inukashi and Rikiga talking quietly in the corner, and began walking over to them.

“Heh, I guess if he stops being a pussy it will be a great present for Shion” Rikiga poured himself another shot of whiskey.

“Hey guys” The two of them jumped out of their skins at the sound of Shion’s voice and turned, faces horror-struck.

“Uh…. Hey Shoin! How’s the birthday going” Inukashi said innocently.

“Yeah we were just talking about…… Politics!” Rikiga lied.

“Uh, okay then.” Shion pulled a chair out and sat by them. “How’s the newspaper company coming along?” He turned to Rikiga who was currently exchanging glances with Inukashi.

“Uh, yeah! It’s going swimmingly, our income is going through the roof!” He roared out a laugh.

“Well, that’s good to hear” Shion smiled keenly “What about you Inukashi? How’s everthing at the hotel?”

“Well, people have started complaining about the dogs running around, so income hasn’t been as good as Rikiga’s” She scowled slightly in the drunken man’s direction. “But since I’ve been finding so many strays, I’ve been thinking. I want to open a rescue centre! So people can hand in strays and adopt them. All the meanwhile, I will be nursing them and bringing them back to full health!”

Shion’s face lit up. “That sounds awesome! If you want, I could speak with the council and ask them to give you the funding for it?”

“Really? Would you?” Inukashi’s eyes seemed to sparkle at the thought of her own dog adoption centre.

“Of course!” Shion laughed.

“You do so much for others, kid.” Rikiga said smiling slightly, but with another unreadable expression on his face. He took another swig of his whiskey. “And you never ask for anything in return…”

“What do you mean?” Shion frowned.

Rikiga chuckled. “Ah nothing,” He waved him off. “I’m just a drunken old man saying crazy things, and I’m hungry” He got up and plodded over to the buffet.

 _I never ask for anything in return?_ Shion thought. _There’s not much I want._

He began to wonder what he longed for the most.

_That’s right. What I want most is out of my reach._

He looked down to his hands and picked at his nails. He had developed a habit of doing that for a while now.

Shion suddenly felt sick, he figured he had ate too much earlier.

“Shion? You okay?” Inukashi’s voice broke him out of him thoughts.

“Yeah I’m fine, don’t worry.” As he sent a reassuring smile towards Inukashi, he heard the room fill with voices singing the first few notes of ‘happy birthday’.

Karan had relit the candles on his birthday cake and was carrying it carefully through the room over to him.

Inukashi joined in with her terrible singing. And Shion winced slightly as she belted the high notes.

Once the singing had died out, Shion took in a huge breath and attempted to blow out all twenty two of the candles which were arranged around the circumference of the cake.

It took him three tries to get them all blown out. But after Karan had removed the candles, she held a knife towards him, hinting for him to cut the cake.

“Cut the cake!” Someone said from across the room.

Shion took the knife and held it out where he was about to cut through.

“Make a wish” Lily piped up. Shion smiled.

 _Make a wish._ Shion thought hard. _What do I want the most?_

Shion cut through the icing slowly, and gradually down through the rest of the cake. He shut his eyes, thinking hard.

 _Nezumi_ He thought. _I wish I could see him again, even if it’s just once._

The knife touched the plate the cake was placed on, and he slid the knife out of the slice he just created. He held out the knife to his mother and she took it, smiling at him, before beginning to cut small slices and offering them to all the guests on paper napkins.

Shion took his, thanking Karan before taking a bite into it. The icing melted on his tongue and the sponge was sticky and sweet. His mouth watered and he ate the rest happily, complementing the chef of her immaculate baking skills. She agreed.

 

After everyone had stuffed themselves on seconds and thirds and fourths of cake, they all began to take their leave, wishing Shion a happy birthday before waving goodbye and leaving. Inukashi and Rikiga stayed for a while after, drinking, after Shionn had been put to bed by Karan in Shion’s old room. Shion and Karan both chatted with them until they saw the clock read 23:37. Rikiga and Inukashi left not too long before Shion hugged his mother and thanked her for everything.

“It’s okay, you deserve it.” She handed him his new coat to put on. “Be careful walking back okay? Your birthday isn’t over yet, and you don’t want something bad to happen do we?” She smiled at him and gave him another hug before he headed out of the door into the night.

He felt unease for a moment. A weird feeling as if someone was watching. Shion ignored it.

He saw the clouds of his breath in the cold air and figured he should take a shortcut back.

He put his hands in the warm pockets of his new coat and walked through the empty streets to his apartment.

As he was walking down one of the alleyways that lead to his block, he heard a sound coming from behind him. He froze.

He stared straight ahead, not daring to look behind him.

“Wh-Who’s there?” He called out nervously into the darkness.

The sounds of footsteps coming closer from behind him echoed through the alleyway.

Suddenly Shion felt a familiar presence. He could feel a pair of silver-grey eyes staring at him from behind. His heart was thumping in his chest and he felt as though he was suffocating. The same feel of panic rose inside his chest but this time it was ten times stronger than ever before. His legs felt like they couldn’t hold him up.

“D-don’t hurt me, p-please!” Shion stuttered, he was terrified, and he couldn’t stop his panicking.

Then a warm, smooth voice spread through the bitter cold.

“I’m not going to hurt you.”

Everything stopped. The trembling. The panic. His breath caught in his throat.

He knew that voice. It was real.

His fists unclenched and he was stood there, still. Staring straight ahead.

“Happy Birthday, Shion.” Nezumi spoke through the night, just as the church bells chimed a new day.

 

**END OF CHAPTER 3**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, cliffhanger..
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I enjoyed writing it. Please leave feedback and inform me of any errors or typos (it really really helps!)
> 
> I may be a while before I update again as I have gone back to school (that is my excuse anyway) and I will probably have a lot of work (which I probably wont do)
> 
> Anyway, I'll see you in the next chapter!
> 
> \- Anna


	4. Reunion

 

Nezumi made his way along the cobblestone street towards a bakery he familiarly knew as Karan’s. He remembered sending his rats this way to deliver messages to her concerning Shion’s safety.

He reached the door but before he could take a look inside he heard cheers erupting from inside. Neumi panicked, and instantly backed down the alleyway by the bakery.

From inside, he heard the sounds of people chanting a song. It was someone’s birthday.

Then it struck him. “It’s Shion’s birthday?” He mumbled to himself smiling.

Nezumi began to sing along quietly.

“ _Happy Birthday to you,_

 _Happy Birthday to you,”_ Nezumi felt a lump grow in his throat and his eyes stung.

“ _Happy birthday… to Shion”_ His voice was hoarse, the sound barely came out as a tune, instead a whisper.

“ _Happy birthday to you.”_

More cheering and clapping muffled through the wall he was leant against. Nezumi closed his eyes.

He heard Shion laugh loudly, and Nezumi instantly felt warmth erupt in him, causing him to smile and chuckle to himself.

“Cut the cake!” Someone shouted, close to the wall.

Nezumi opened his eyes and looked up to the darkening sky. Stars began to shine through the deep blue of the world above.

 _Make a wish Shion._ He thought, staring at a bright star glowing directly above him.

He slid down the wall and sat on the floor, alone in the dark, empty alleyway. He still stared at the sky above him, growing ever darker as more stars joined their neighbours. Forming constellations, asterisms and revealing the world beyond. He kept listening to the sounds of muffled voices through the thin walls and felt that warm feeling whenever he heard Shion’s voice.

At one point he could almost sense his presence through the wall, as though he was just on the other side, and yet he still couldn’t reach him.

He had no idea how long he was sat there before his eyes grew heavy and he felt himself fall into unconsciousness.

**\-----------------------------------**

Nezumi jolted awake when he heard voices coming from the street. He heard the sound of Inukashi and Rikiga sending their birthday wishes and farewells. He stood up and brushed himself off before peering down the alley towards the sounds.

He took a few steps forward before he saw two people walk past him.

They looked at him for a moment, Inukashi not a surprised as Rikiga, but still startled. A smirk formed on Inukashi’s lips.

Nezumi put a finger to his lips, shooting an icy glare to her. She nodded her head at him slightly before heading on, Rikiga following drunkenly.

He stayed there for a moment, he hadn’t realised how fast his heart had sped up. If that had been Shion, he wouldn’t know what to do.

He leant back against the wall and sighed. Closing his eyes once more.

A few minutes passed and he heard the bells on the bakery door jingle and more voices made their way into the cool September air.

Nezumi opened his eyes and jumped. He heard Shion’s voice clearly from around the corner. His heart sped up and thumped through his chest so loudly he could have sworn Shion could hear it. He felt short of breath and tried desperately to keep his breathing steady.

_He is just around the corner._

“See you later Mum!” Shion said.

“Be careful getting home now” Karan replied kindly.

“I’ll be fine!” Shin chuckled and he heard the bells jingling as the door shut behind him. Then there was silence.

Nezumi wanted to just turn around. Just one step. Then everything will be like it used to be. _One step…_

Shion began walking in the opposite direction as his footsteps echoed down the empty street.

Nezumi let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. But immediately after, he felt alone again. He looked around the corner to see a white head of hair turning round the corner into the next street.

Nezumi stepped out quickly and followed. His pace was quick but silent.

He popped his head round the next corner to see him again. Only this time he was closer.

Shion had his head tilted up. He was looking up at the sky, like Nezumi had been doing earlier.

Shion turned into an alleyway. Nezumi followed hastily.

He got too carried away with following the white-haired boy he hadn’t realised the sound he was making. Nezumi quickly backed up against the wall but ended up tripping over a dustbin instead.

Shion froze. Nezumi stared at him. There was no going back now.

“W-who’s there?” Shion sounded panicked.

He took a deep breath before stepping out into the middle of the alley and walking slowly toward Shion.

“D-don’t hurt me p-please!” Shion clutched his hair and tensed up protectively as he quivered.

Nezumi smiled at the hunch before him. He felt his stomach churn ferociously but he ignored it. He had to do this.

“I’m not going to hurt you” He said, calmly despite his heart pulsing.

Shion stopped quivering. He just stood there, his back to Nezumi.

He couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Nezumi just gazed at the messy tufts of hair which grew out of Shion’s head. It was even messier than before.

Shion dropped his hands from his head and stared at the floor.

“Happy Birthday, Shion.” The bells from the church tower sounded as the wind carried them to their ears. The breeze blew between them, ruffling their hair slightly.

It was a familiar wind, it almost had a song to it.

Shion was silent for some time before he began to turn his head to look behind him.

Wide, teary eyes met with soft, grey ones.

Shion made a sound and turned his full body toward the other, stumbling slightly. Nezumi reached forward but Shion stepped back, his gaze fixed on Nezumi’s face.

He looked more terrified than shocked. His eyes were streaming.

“Shion…”

“Ne..zu..mi” He whispered.

“Shion what’s wrong?” Nezumi asked, panic rising in his chest.

Shion looked down and wiped his eyes. Fists clenched.

“What’s wrong you say?” Shion’s voice had changed. His tone was dangerous. “What’s wrong with me?” He laughed sickly.

Shion stepped towards him, surprising Nezumi.

“Six years...!” Shion lunged forward and smacked Nezumi’s face with his clenched fist.

Nezumi cried out in pain and stumbled backward.

“I said I’d return didn’t I?!” Nezumi shouted back, blotting the blood dripping from his nose.

Shion was silent. His eyes looking anywhere but Nezumi. When Shion finally looked back at him, he let out a short gasp when he saw Nezumi’s nose bleeding.

“Come on.” He turned and walked down the alley, quick paced. Nezumi followed, walking behind.

The journey to Shion’s was complete silence, their footsteps becoming the only break to the silence of the night. Shion kept his head down the whole time.

 

Once they eventually arrived, Shion guided Nezumi in and gestured him to sit. His apartment was tidy and comfortable, it looked quite posh from the exotic furniture, and the plush couches, and the designer kitchen. There were abstract paintings on the walls and shelves full of books, old and new. His carpet was so soft he felt bad for stepping on it with his worn, mucky boots.

Everything was just like Shion, in a way that Nezumi couldn't really explain. It was just... _Shion._

Nezumi hadn’t sat down on a sofa in months. The cushioned settee consumed him and his back felt so relieved he almost cried out with joy. The warm air soothed him and helped him relax, despite the tense atmosphere.

Shion sat down beside him, First-Aid kit sitting neatly on his lap. He had a cloth and a bowl of warm water placed on the table. Reaching forward, he soaked the cloth in the heat before ringing it out carefully and handing it to Nezumi.

Nezumi looked slightly baffled at the offering. The cloth was held out for a short time more before droplets began to roll down Shion’s fingers. The white-haired boy huffed with impatience and began wiping away the blood himself. He was gentle with his hands and the look of concentration on his face reminded Nezumi of the 12 year old he met that night.

“Keep still.” Shion commanded.

“Sorry…” Nezumi looked down to Shion’s hand which was holding a bloody cloth in need of a rinse. Shion proceeded to do so.

 

Once Nezumi had been patched up, Shion placed some fresh clothes beside on his lap, looking anywhere but him. Nezumi felt the familiar pang of guilt inside his chest once more.

“I thought… I thought this would be different.” Shion mumbled to himself.

“Huh?” Nezumi looked back at the other who was leaning against the wall, staring out at the city he had created.

“Nothing. Go take a shower.” Shion looked back at him with nothing to read from his expression. Nezumi felt like he had been stabbed through the heart several times. That was not the look Shion gave him. He never looked at him that way.

Nezumi stepped under the warm stream and let himself soak in the heat. He felt his chest tighten and he fisted the wall, trying not to cry from his frustration and stupidity. He didn’t know why he felt like this, which made him so much more frustrated and stupid.

He got out of the shower and changed into Shion’s clothes. They were a bit tight on him, but Shion was always smaller than him, so he bore with it.

When he finally emerged from the bathroom, he saw the smaller boy curled up on the sofa. His face was peaceful and he made soft noises in his sleep.

Nezumi gently picked Shion up in his arms, and carried him to his room.

“Ne..zu…mi..” Shion mumbled sleepily. He was still half asleep.

Nezumi laid his down gently on the mattress and pulled the covers over him.

“Don’t…. Leave” Shion whispered.

Nezumi stroked his messy hair gently before leaving the room and collapsing onto the sofa. He hadn’t got any decent sleep in months. He couldn’t stop seeing Shion’s face when he saw him again, as he was slowly pulled into a deep sleep.

 

**END OF CHAPTER 4**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I never intended to make it a happy reunion at first.... Soz..
> 
> (also sorry this chapter is short I'll try to start making them longer)
> 
> BUT. You will get some fluff in the next chapter I promise ^-^
> 
> As usual, please point out any mistakes I have made (in my proofread I found that I had put 'Noiz' instead of noise, god im such a weeb) it really does help. And leave kudos if you like, bookmark, leave a comment whatever, I don't mind...
> 
> See you in the next update!  
> -Anna


	5. Making Amends

Nezumi awoke to the sound of pots and pans in the kitchen. His neck clicked from being in an awkward position on the sofa and he let out a sigh of satisfaction as he moved his stiff joints. It was only when he was sat fully upright that he noticed a blanket had been placed over him and a pillow under his head. He smiled at Shion’s unkempt kindness.

The smell of breakfast wafted from the kitchen and grew stronger as he made his way to the source. Leaning in the doorway, he saw Shion standing over the stove, poking at the contents of a saucepan while keeping an eye on the toaster.

“I was wondering when you’d wake up.” Shion said, still prodding the frying eggs.

Nezumi chuckled. “I never was a morning person.”

Shion turned the knob on the stove to reduce the heat and turned round to look at Nezumi, who had proceeded to the dining table. Shion remained, keeping his eyes on the eggs as he was determined to cook a decent breakfast for once. “What are you going to do now?” Shion said abruptly.

“Huh?”

“Are you going to stay? Or are you going to leave again? How long after you sweep me off my feet will you leave me like last time to deal with everything myself?” Shion snapped, but immediately regretted it. “Sorry… I just-“

“Don’t apologise.” Nezumi sighed. “I don’t know. I don’t know how long I’ll stay, I don’t know where I will go even if I do leave again.”

A long silence ensued. Shion suddenly cursed and switched the heat completely off, placing an egg each on two plates which were already set out on the table where Nezumi was sat. He quickly popped the toast from the toaster and buttered it generously.

“I hope they don’t taste burnt…” Shion pouted slightly as he sat down with his breakfast opposite Nezumi.

“I’m sure they’re better than the crap I’ve been eating for the past six years..” Nezumi added, Shion smiled albeit sadly.

Nezumi took a bite of one of Shion’s dishevelled eggs, and was surprised to find out that they tasted damn better than any other eggs he’s ever tried. He chewed his mouthful enthusiastically and immediately took another.

“I was thinking of visiting the old apartment underground… In case you wanted any of your old stuff.” Shion stared at his fork, not looking up at Nezumi sitting across from him. The latter gave him a surprised look.

“I go there often, to get some quiet time, it’s sometimes quite nostalgic, and often I can almost hear you humming your songs from right next to me.”

Nezumi remained silent.

“But it’s starting to crumble apart see? It’s never used anymore… And so the council have decided to flood it out to extend the sewage flow under West Block.. I thought that you might want to save anything that you would want before it’s thrown out. I would have rescued it anyway but…”

“I’ll come.” Nezumi smiled. “It would be nice to visit our old place for one last time.”

For the first time that morning, Shion had looked directly at him and smiled.

\---

Shion and Nezumi both made their way down the cracked steps on the outskirts of West Block to their old, crumbling home.

It had started to smell even worse down there than it used to. The walls were slimy and seeped some unknown substance that Nezumi would rather not come in contact with. They stopped in front of the familiar large, metal door that was the entrance to his old home.

“This is it, as you probably know…” Shion said before going to open the door.

With one push, the door creaked open and before them they saw their living room, which hadn’t changed a bit. Shion switched the lights on before stepping inside.

Nothing had changed. All his books were there, still in the alphabetical order in which Shion had sorted them in. The stove, the sofa, the bed, the table all remained. Only everything had managed to grow layers of damp.

“It hasn’t changed..” Nezumi huffed out a breath meant to be a laugh.

“Yeah, you’re right.”

They stood there for a while, taking in their familiar surroundings and, as Shion had said, it was quite nostalgic. Nezumi could remember clear as day how they would sit and read for hours, not saying a word, and how they would eat on that very same sofa, and leave stains there whenever Nezumi spilt too much of his food. He remembered how Shion panicked and desperately tried to scrub the stain off the already battered couch. He remembered how, sometimes, when Shion got cold, he would lie next to Nezumi, just for a bit, before returning to the sofa and sleeping there. He never realised, but Nezumi would be awake next to him, relishing his warmth only to feel disappointed when Shion left.

“Nezumi?”

Nezumi snapped out of his daze and turned to look at Shion standing next to him.

“I-“ Shion was cut off as Nezumi leaned in and pressed their lips together.

Shion froze out of shock. Panic rose up in his chest and his heart started pumping faster. But as he felt Nezumi’s fingers entwine with his, he relaxed and leaned into him, feeling his warmth. Shion slid his free hand to the back of Nezumi’s neck, feeling the stray hairs falling from his ponytail. The latter pressed forward more, deepening the kiss. It was when Nezumi began opening his mouth and trailing his tongue along Shion’s bottom lip did the he turn his head to the side, breaking their heated moment. Though he did not back away.

“I…”

“Can I stay?” Nezumi’s breath rushed past the shell of his ear.

“Huh?” Shion looked up into the stormy silver orbs bearing down into him.

“I want to stay with you.” Nezumi nuzzled the side of Shion’s head, breathing softly down Shion’s neck, making him shudder. “I want to be with you.”

Shion gripped the wrist placed on his shoulder and took the hand up to his face. Nezumi felt Shion’s soft skin warm from his blush.

“What does this mean?” Shion said softly.

“What?”

“What exactly is going on between us?” Shion put his head on Nezumi’s shoulder. “What do you feel when we kiss?”

Nezumi didn’t say anything.

Shion continued. “When I’m close to you like this. I feel like I have everything I could ever want, but at the same time I’m scared that it will end. When you.. When you kiss me l-like that I don’t want it to end I want to be with you forever I want to be this close to you.. I-“

“love you…” Nezumi said quietly. Shion looked up into softer, sadder eyes. “Since we first met that day. I can’t seem to keep myself away from you. I want you, Shion.” He shut his eyes and took in a breath. “I love you” He squeezed Shion’s hand. “I love you and I’m so sorry that you had to live like that. I never meant… I never meant to hurt you. I’m sorry.” He lowered his head, averting Shion’s gaze.

Before he could regret what he just said, Nezumi was pulled down into another passionate kiss as Shion locked their bodies together. Nezumi slipped his tongue over Shion’s bottom lip only this time was given a response, as Shion opened his lips and let Nezumi explore the warmth behind them.

Only when they were desperate for oxygen did they part, feeling each other’s breath in between the space their mouths were locked moments ago. Nezumi placed his forehead against Shion’s, looking deep into the red embers of Shion’s eyes.

“I love you Nezumi, I think I always have.” Shion said, breathless.

\---

“Sir, I have information that might be of use to you.”

“Excellent. Proceed.”

He set out two files in front, on the desk.

“I assume you are aware of the two Class A criminals who escaped and later on brought down the old correctional facility six years ago?”

A smirk rose up on the other man’s face at the oncoming news.

“They are both in No.6, the rat has returned.”

“I see.” His grin widened. “Find them, and bring them to me. If all else fails, just slaughter them on the spot.”

“Yes, sir.”

 

**END OF CHAPTER 5**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there~
> 
> Its been a while, and I'm not gonna make up some bullshit excuse like 'I've had loads of work from school and revision is taking over my life eeeehh~~~' bc that is a total lie and I never do any work anyway because I am a terrible excuse for a human being.
> 
> That is why it said 'temporary hiatus', because that is who I am.
> 
> Anyway I hope you liked this update, sorry if you felt it escalated too quickly, idk.. Feedback is much appreciated! Also feel free to comment/kudos/whatever. It helps keep me motivated.
> 
> Until next time folks!
> 
> -Anna


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